Praises...

Friends who are there when you start to fall apart.

Friends who will put let your kids join their day at the last minute.

Prayers.

A 3 year old who can charm a medical staff in about 20 minutes.

Great doctors who are blessed with amazing gifts in medicine and a special heart for kids.

Great news and people who want to hear it.

Kids who go with the flow.

A husband who is there when I need him.

Freshly mown grass and three healthy, beautiful children to play in it.

A God who is the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow no matter what happens in our day.

The Future is so Bright....

I gotta wear shades... We are home. I was calm. Dax was very well behaved and cooperative. The building was big and beautiful. All three of us were a bit nervous. Dax admitted to feeling nervous before going in. Then there was the Stuart Little movie, lots of cool things to play with, a cool little urinal (requiring 5 trips to the potty in just over two hours), funny glasses, Monster's Inc., Sesame Street Characters, a disappearing Cow, crazy lights, lots of nice nurses & techs, a fun guy named Dr. Steve who was wearing a Sponge Bob tie, some horrible little eye drops, more play time, a few more lights, and finally some groovy sunglasses to take home.

And the diagnosis from Dr. Steve...

Dax is illegally cute and is a beautiful, healthy little boy. A little farsighted, which is normal in kids and has pupils that can be as much as a millimeter different in size. He told us to go back through past pictures and see if we could spot it earlier, that he thinks it's been there since birth. He told us that the pediatrician was very worried, rightfully so, different sized pupils can indicate some very bad stuff. He listed off a few syndromes, brain bleeding in which pupil size can be a sign of imminent death, tumors in the neck/top of spine area, and of course the brain tumor thing which had me in a tizzy. So when he smiled and said he didn't see signs of any of these and he doesn't want to see him for 3 years, I finally stopped holding my breath.

It's amazing to think how fast your life can change. I feel more blessed today than yesterday, but my blessing have not changed. Sometimes a jolt on the road makes you just that much more grateful for every moment of "normal" life we are blessed with!

Prayers for My Guy

At 10 this morning we will be taking Dax to the pediatric Opthamologist to have his eyes dilated. We've been noticing some strange things with his pupils and our pediatrician is sending us on to a specialist. I, of course, made the mistake of Googling "different sized pupils" and learned more bad than good. Mothers should be banned from Google when worried about their kids! It just makes it worse! So I'm asking for your prayers. Prayers that you'll keep my mind focused on the positive. Prayers that Dax will stay calm and will find the whole thing an adventure. Prayers that this will just be nothing, just a bleep on life's radar that helps us remember how much we truly have been blessed with.

Praises...

Hanging out with friends. Little ones, big ones, and all of them in between. We are grateful for all those crazy people God has sent us!



Hanging out at a friend's house with no power means fun play with fire...

Not having my children panic when the power went off and the storm started. This one is totally priceless!

Being able to make scary candle faces. Finding pure joy is the things life tosses at you. This was an amazing thing for Lily.

Being safe in the middle of a nasty Father's Day storm. The wind took down many many trees but nobody was hurt. Not being home when this tree crashed down on the roof. I can only imagine the panic that noise would have created!

The fact that this tree limb (as big around as Mike's thigh, laying across the roof from one side to the other) caused no damage.

Finding the playhouse had been tossed across the yard but other than a little dirt was good to go!

Finding the sandbox still standing, just a bit wet. And all the other outside toys were accounted for. One brother, one sister this close and actually getting along for a few seconds!

This baby smiling like a crazy man! (He probably has a rock tucked in that cheek!)

A great husband who I am blessed to have had in my world for so many years I barely remember when he wasn't there. My kids are blessed to have a Dad who is there, always close by to get that glass of water in the middle of the night or kiss a boo boo. We love you!

Praises...

Finding the library cards.

Lunching with good friends.

Library time with friends, kids, friend's kids, kid's friends, and clowns.

Youth doing kind things for others, letting God use them for his purpose.

Notes from my mom, that woman amazes me with her note writing and planning abilities! Notes from long ago returned to remind me that I had put it all in words and he knew.

Getting a night out alone with my husband! Life has thrown us curve balls over the last several months and we have not been alone together since our anniversary in January!

Stumbling into places where God hangs signs on the walls. A question I just asked yesterday was answered for me today in beautiful pictures when I least expected! I love when he works like that!

Walking on the riverfront on a beautiful almost summer night. The chatter of strangers, people playing guitar in the moonlight, the lights on the sailboats.

The incredible clouds! The pink sunsetting over the river. Being just with Mike. Grown up talk..oh how amazing!

Coming home to three beautiful, healthy sleeping kids.

A great sitter who let us not worry about rushing home! Sitter chat after returning home.

Praises...

Beautiful summer days with sun, shade, and the shadows of trees in the backyard.

Home, a place where there are messes, giggles, hugs, and warm bubble baths filled with little boys.

Finishing a fiction novel, the first one in a very very long time.

Seeing old familiar faces. Sometimes a year goes so quickly, it's almost as if time never passed.

Empathy. Feeling others pain. It may sound not so much like a praise, but God gave this to us, and I thank him for it.

Going to the grocery store for a few minutes alone!

Flashback grocery store songs. You know what I mean. You're standing there in the card isle, trying to walk quickly past the Father's Day cards to find something amusing to send a brother just to say hi, a little song on the in store radio station catches your ear and you can't help but sing along. Tonight, it was this one...


Or maybe this one...


Or even maybe this one...


Ok, so when I went to find the song list from the album I started getting confused. I have this CD somewhere in my house. I loved this one sometime in the mid '90s. It was one I would listen to while on the Internet late at night bouncing Lily in the bouncer seat with one foot, singing, and chatting (back when chat rooms were fun, mostly safe, and not filled with psychos). Can't say I wasn't a multitasker. So after looking at the list I wasn't sure which song it was after all, just knew it was one of my favorites on the CD so I figured I'd just share them all, cause I'm all about sharing and how can you go wrong with bands like Hootie and The Blowfish, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Bare Naked Ladies? I do so love how music takes you back so much so that you can see the movie of you then. You can almost feel the feeling and smell the smells. Speaking of which...

Traveling to Miss Traci's blog and being delighted by a new piece of music each time. She makes me laugh with her eclectic soundtrack. I have contemplated getting my own, but I'm a bit afraid I'd be overwhelmed by all the choices! But I must say my favorite is when I go over, like tonight, and hear this...




There is something about Jack Johnson that makes me feel. It takes me to my family. Not the one I live with now, but the one I grew up with. Jack was a guy Dosh introduced us to many moons ago and he was a guy we all could listen to. Seems even still his CD shows up on family car rides, long nights of game playing. Just hearing his voice relaxes me. Takes me back to hotels filled with too many family members and laughter. His music was about all that Dax wanted to hear as a baby, totally mellowed him out. So here is one more just because I wanna put one more up!




I am so grateful for music in my life I know I've said that before and I know it's not something I can really explain but the way it connects people and time God gave us an amazing gift in music.

Praises...

June mornings with no rain and comfortable temperatures.

The wind softly blowing through the trees while you pray.

Sitting in the middle of God's creation to worship.

Wonderful girls who swoop in and walk off with your toddler so you can hear the wind blowing softly through the trees!!

Lazy Sunday afternoons.

A husband who goes Krogering with a 3 year old in tow.

Quiet Sunday evenings with everyone in bed (or sleeping over at friend's houses.)

Praises?

Well, I might sound like I'm whining, but I promise to turn it to praise. If you'd like to use this as a how to, well do that at your own discretion! Please feel free to offer any advice or answers to my long list of embedded questions!

Does this look like a girl? Ok, I know my little mad scientist needs a haircut, but I haven't let Lily start putting bows in it yet! He has been referred to as "she" 3 times this week. Do you think it may have anything to do with these?

These are his favorite shoes. He has 4 pairs, but these are the ones he will go find when you ask him to get his shoes. They are Pedipeds and they are the Collin style. Collin is a boys name and they do show boys wearing them on the website. These are the shoes he's been wearing every time he has been referred to as a "she".

Tonight we went to one of my kids favorite places for dinner because we are still eating on free birthday coupons. Yes, we take all the free kiddie meals anyone sends us! We are even that family who would choose a restaurant based on the large "kids eat free" signs that might hang over the front of the establishment once a week. We have not gone as far as to make a schedule or know which places are free on which days, but as we begin to feed Finn off menus, this may very well change. Last time we had dinner at...

it was a very pleasant family experience. We found they have a nice fruit and yogurt plate that Finn enjoys and Dax can order for himself off the picture menu. Lily, however, in all of her ten year old glory still usually makes me order for her. We sat at the same table as last time, we sat in the same seats! Yeah, well so much for that. Kind of like when a guy wears the same underwear every time his favorite football team plays and then they lose and he can't quite figure out why.

This child...


started out the meal all cute and flirty. He had sweet conversation with all the older patrons who were eating their dinner at 4:30. Now, let me tell you, we don't eat early. We usually eat around 6:30 or 7:00 because, well, we just do. We grew up the EST(normal) time zone and even after 4 years have not totally allowed ourselves to feel fully at home in the CST. I still ask what's coming on at 8, because normal people do not start prime time television at 7. I still think the idea that there are kids in bed at 6:30 is insane. I also still convert time back and forth daily. Like when I'm in Walmart late and I see a little child with their parent at 10 and I think, "oh my gosh! It's really 11!" Please make no comment about our 10:30 exit from Chuck E. Cheese a few weeks ago, I was converting the time to normal (EST) time while in the parking lot praying no good parents we knew drove by. This is actually why I mentioned the time. I wanted to point out that tonight I had my mom game going. I thought if I fed them first they'd all be happy little shoppers. Ok, I digress, sorry about that ramble, Finn, old ladies, Bob Evans, back now. He was being oh so darling, maybe that is why the couple behind us thought he was a girl. He lasted about halfway through the meal before he started making these bizarre guttural growling sounds. They started not so loud, but grew in intensity when he noticed this child...


jumping around in his seat laughing and copying the sounds. After several discussions about how we act in a restaurant, the above pictured child did return to his smiley face potatoes. Although the one with the mouth full of bananas continued his growling, only louder. Those around us who once thought he was so sweet now wondered what sort of gremlin we were dining with. Each time he'd make this noise, I would put my arm around him, lean down close and mention some sweet words about how we don't do that when we're in a restaurant. Yeah, he's 14 months old, I know he took it to heart. I did also try redirection, cause I'm really not that naive. I also looked at my husband and uttered these words "well, it's not quite as obnoxious as that ridiculous high pitched squeal". Yeah, it was like thirty seconds later when my beautiful little boy looked up at me, laughed, and made that hideous, hideous sound. Guess he's not so naive either! He got to go pay the bill with Daddy so the other nice people around us could enjoy their meal.

Oh, I forgot to mention this child...

she decided to wear eyeshadow and mascara to dinner. Because Bob Evan's is where all the happening 10 year olds hang out at 4:30 on Saturday afternoons? I don't know, but me, the cruel mom told her to go to the bathroom and wash it off. She came back, it was still there. I took out a baby wipe, and proceeded to wash her face right there at the table. Not in a mean way, I didn't not make a public show, but we were in the middle of the place. Am I a horrible mom? Do other people let their almost 5th graders wear make up? Am I just totally in the dark? I started wearing make up for special occasions, like dances in the 8th grade. Why do our little girls feel they need bras and makeup? What is wrong with granny panties on a 10 year old? sigh. You out there with little girls, enjoy those days of bows and princess costumes cause I tell you they are replaced by hijacked mascara, stinky smelling perfume, and a bad attitude all too soon!

Speaking of cosmetics for grade schoolers, have you walked into a store like this one lately?


They totally market all of this crap for little girls. I don't think I could be a pageant mom, let's just put it that way. We were in here tonight to buy a last minute birthday gift for a party Lily is going to tomorrow. Silly me, I was thinking hair accessories, bangle bracelets, maybe something High School Musical related. Oh no, Lily was showing me the things her little friend would like, I was trying to hold back my gag reflex. We spent 45 minutes choosing items in the nail and lip category because those were the only things we could meet in the middle on. We figured it out based on the math of buy one get one 50% off. Yeah, ok, so at the above mentioned store they don't do math real well. They gave all our 50% off on $2.50 nail polishes. The bill was too high, I don't like spending $$ on garbage. What do you usually spend on a birthday party gift? I vary it depending on the party, the child, and how well I know everyone. I figured $15 ish for this one. Yeah, it was $23. I was frustrated, mostly because it was junk. Mike, well he was already starting to go into convulsions because Lily and I had spent 45 minutes there after spending 45 minutes trying on clothes here...

Here I like. Most of Lily's wardrobe right now is from Gap. They have clothes that seem age appropriate to me. Not "cutesy" as Lily would say, but still look like a girl and not a street walker or Hannah Montana. I love their sale racks. Tonight I spent $47 for $107 worth of clothes. This makes me happy. Lily and my's bonding time in the dressing room was productive and Mike couldn't say too much because we spent very little time in my favorite place...

Although it was Peel a Prize time I only got 20% off and it wasn't enough to make me go crazy. This was a relief for the men in my family. I want to make clear, they were forewarned. They were given the option of staying home for some man time while the girls went shopping. So even though Mike had made several laps of the mall and was starting to twitch, I didn't feel too bad. It could not have been as painful for him as it was for me having to watch how maxi pads were made on "How It's Made". I really find that show monotone and annoying. I'll try not to go there right now, I've got more on task griping to do.

Mike did spend some of his mall time in here...

The one in our mall is going out of business. I guess they are selling everything cheap! By everything I mean even the store fixture and cute characters that hang on the walls. If you're a Disney mania person and you know which mall I'm talking about, you better run! Mike was going to make them a deal on the projector and screen. I think he was just bored. But, alas, he told me about this amazing sale on the drive home from the mall. Why? Did he think it would be another 45 minutes? Did he not have it in him? Could he have been frightened?

So trying to finish the night on a high note for the kids we decided to stop at the food court on our way out for some yummy ice cream. We gave Finn his bottle. Ok, so yeah, he's 14 months old and my other kids had given theirs up long before now. He only has one a day, before bed, he's my baby and he likes it, and well, he's cute. So, once upon a time I used these bottles...

They were fine for my older two, but after reading all sorts of reports on the horrible things they might be doing to our kids I chucked them and started using...

Tonight as Finn tossed his "night night baba" onto the tiled foot court floor and I heard a crash, a chinkle, and a splash. I wanted to stand on a table and explain to people why on God's green earth my 14 month old was drinking out of a glass bottle at the mall at 8:45(that's really 9:45 you know). We have been using these bottles for 6 months. He has dropped them on all sorts of surfaces. He has hurled them upon all sorts of surfaces and they have bounced back with nary a crack. Tonight, well, it was more than a ding. God bless Sheryl, who is in charge of keeping the food court clean. We picked up the big chunks and as much as we could by hand, this great lady did the rest. I wanted to hide under my table! I could just hear her wondering in her own mind "what kind of crazy mother gives her huge toddler a glass bottle. It is 2008 for goodness sake!" But she didn't say it out loud. Not even when teenage boys kept trying to walk through the glass bits as she was cleaning up. Not even when people kept tracking glitter from the jewelry store near by who for some insane reason had sprinkled glitter all over their carpet. She didn't even utter a cruel word as we sat two tables away eating ice cream. We thanked her profusely and apologized repeatedly. She laughed and politely refused when we offered to buy her a drink when she was done. We meant water or soda, cause they don't sell harder stuff at the mall, although it was almost closing time, maybe we should have offered something stiffer!

Praises... watch this!

Saturday morning playtime in mom and dad's bed. I love when everyone piles in and giggles. The more zerbets the merrier!

A dog who will waltz right back in the same door a toe headed 3 year old let her out just minutes after a short gallivant around the neighborhood.

Having a son so beautiful sometimes people mistake him for a girl.

The fact that at 14 months he can chose his own shoes and go find them on his own! Heck, my ten year old has trouble with that!

Kids eat free nights and free birthday dinner postcards Those little treats let us spend time out to eat as a family. It's a nice break from doing dishes!

Lily ordered for herself tonight and really for the most part kept her attitude in a happy place.

Nice people in restaurants who talk sweetly to your kids even in their obnoxious moments.

Dax learning boundaries and how to listen better. These 3 year old days have some real pluses to help neutralize negatives.

My boys loving each other with giddy orneriness. There is something kind of lovable in that.

Getting to spend some quality one on one time with Lily.

Having a husband who chooses to go shopping with us, even knowing it might cause itching!

Having a husband who will take Dax to the potty and hang out while the boys pretend to ride mall rides and the girls disappear into the deep dungeon of a dressing room.

Boys too little to know that you are supposed to put money in the rides to enjoy them. They still get plenty of pleasure out of them just the way they are!

Sheryl in the food court. God bless you. lady! You deserve a lot more praise!

No cuts from broken glass.

A chat with mom in Canada and even a cameo from my cousin, Zachary.

Finally finishing this insanely long blog entry. (I hope the three of you who read it are still hanging in there!)

Knowing that my three beautiful children and my mostly wonderful husband are sleeping safely & soundly just a handful of feet from me. I am truly blessed.

And spell check!

Praises...

The first week of summer is coming to an end and we are all still here!

Mom made her solo drive to Canada safely.

My children have had moments of kindness mixed in with their moments of not so kindness.

I have been ale to take showers in the morning after Mike has left for work thanks to the watchful eye of my darling 10 year old! And better yet, she hasn't complained yet! (about the showers at least!)

We have now been to the library 3 times since summer started and my children have managed to do it without running or yelling! Today my darling Dax sat beside his sister on the floor for 50 minutes during a singing performance. They were in my sight, but way out of my reach and loud scream whisper distance. 50 minutes people! In one seat, paying attention. And did I mention it was HOT in there! I think my baby is growing up!

Finn stayed with me during said performance and flirted with middle aged women and young girls. He danced his little heart out and clapped his hands.

A night out with the girls this week to a real restaurant and a real movie, even in the middle of panic attacks and storms

A husband who will not balk when I ditch him with three kids with storm warnings and major freak outs. He's a pretty good guy most of the time!

Dax's dream of a playhouse has been fulfilled. Funny how this boy had requirements, must have roof, must have door, should have shutters.. Good thing a friend happened to have one sitting in her back yard, that had been there so long her guys had outgrown it. Maybe this will put an end to my endless Craigslist and Ebay browsing. Well, maybe not, cause this one it little so next year.... Oh who am I kidding, I just need an obsession I can use the computer for at any given time! So the praise, in case you got lost, is Dax is satisfied and I am thankful for friends who fulfill his desires!

Finding all sorts of picture goodies online! Maybe I'll actually print some pictures soon!

Warm weather with that Illinois wind. Gotta love those days when you have to hold your baby down so he doesn't blow away!

No rain! Playing outside in the warm setting sun!

My brothers and the women in their lives. I feel like it's been too long since I spent any time with any of them I hope they are out there smiling! I feel blessed to have all of them in my world!

Cutest moment of the day...

I am standing in the library, people all around me, holding Finn. He leans over my shoulder, smiles that big flirty smile, points, grunts, then starts waving. I turn to see what has him all googlieyed, should have known it was a 3 or 4 month old baby girl. That boy will flirt his little cheeks off! Somehow he knows a girl from 50 feet!

Most Disgusting Moment of the day...

Dax and Finn are sitting on the kitchen floor next to each other looking very intently in the corner. I hear Dax say "look, Finny, it's a spider". Then with horror, "No! No! Finny, we don't eat spiders!" Needless to say I hopped up at that point and removed the spider from his mouth. My only question was whether it was dead when it went in..ick!!

Best Moment of the Day...

Opening my eyes this morning to the soft pitter patter and babbling of two small blond boys toddling into my bedroom. The taller of the two (who has just learned to open the pantry cabinet) was carrying a box of "Magot roni and cheese" and the smaller one with the mad scientist hair(whose daddy had let him out of his crib) was carrying one potato. They presented their gifts to me and shared their breakfast plans. The Tall one read me the box pointing at each letter with his little pointer finger"Maaa got Roooo neee an cheeeeezzz" and then he demonstrated how he could play the box like a guitar. The little one piped in with an ear piercing electric squeal as he pointed with great desire toward the blue box. A trade was made. The little crazy haired, diapered boy began to shake the box like crazy. The one with the soft blue eyes scrunched up his little face as he tried to turn the potato into a musical instrument. "Mom! I can't play a Potato!" He said as if I was crazy, or he just had an epiphany, realizing that no musical harmonies would spring forth from the little round spud.

So, the tall one tiptoed back to the pantry and reappeared with two plastic cups and a box of Life cereal. The blue box and the non musical veggie laid sadly, disregarded on my bedroom floor as they munched and crunched. I know there will be limited mornings like this one. If only I'd had my camera, maybe I should start sleeping with it!